Day/night bidirectional marine marker



Feb. 24; 1970 M. D. GERKE 3,

DAY/NIGHT BIDIRECT'IONAL MARINE MARKER Filed Feb. 2, 1968 23 3O I8 2 I4 33 H 2 2 INVENTOR. MERRILL D. GER KE ROY MILLER ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,496,906 DAY/NIGHT BIDIRECTIONAL MARINE MARKER Merrill D. Gerke, Imperial Beach, Calif., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Feb. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 702,619 Int. Cl. G08b 5/00, 7/08 US. Cl. 116-124 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a bidirectional, day-night marine location marker which floats and is self-stabilized at the water surface.

There are numerous self-contained emergency signalling devices which have been used to locate ditched cargo, personnel, etc. A combination marker, consisting of smoke and illuminating flare signal containers having independent ignition means for selective actuation of either container, the smoke for day and the flare for night is described in Patent No. 3,167,050. Smoke signalling devices using two separate chemicals which are discharged in such a manner as to interact to form a smoke trail are popular for spotting and tracking airborne vehicles. Markers of these types in use today are restricted in altitude when dropped in the armed condition as many will burst in the air diluting their effect by dispersion thereby resulting in a poor, and sometimes no, reference point. Devices activated by certain explosive charges are hazardous to personnel in water or to low flying airplanes, and are particularly dangerous in search and rescue operations in water contaminated with fuel.

The present invention may be launched from surface vessels or from aircraft at any altitude in an armed or safe condition. The marking materials, dyes, pigments and chemiluminescent formulations, provide a combination day/night visual location marker which is safe and reliable even in fuel covered waters.

SUMMARY This invention is for a day/night marine location marker which is compact, floats, is stabilized at the water surface, and when activated by its firing mechanism spreads a dye for a daytime visual reference from one end, and an oxyluminescent material from the other end as a nighttime visual reference. The marker comprises two waterproof, kraft-paper tubular containers or cylinders connected horizontally to a flat side of a circular wooden block with the head ends in facing relation to each other. A grenade firing mechanism is mounted on the wooden block between the containers which has a delay fuse extending into a black powder ejection charge housed in a paper tube which extends through a bore in said block into each container. The containers are each loaded with a plastic bag one containing a dye or pigment,-and the other a chemiluminescent material. The bags are loosely packed so that they surround the ejection charge tube. The containers are closed at the aft ends by 3,496,906 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 end kraft-paper caps which are provided with kraft-paper rupture discs. When the firing mechanism is actuated the ejection charge is ignited and the gas created therefrom exerts pressure bidirectionally against the plastic bags which act like pistons pushing against the end caps with sufficient force to expel the rupture discs and break the bags thereby dispersing the dye in one direction and the chemiluminescent material in the opposite direction upon the waters surface. The remainder of the marker then sinks.

Such a signaling device provides a long needed, simple and inexpensive marine marker having two signals, one for locating targets by day and the other by night from the air or by ship. It also provides a means for marking the surface of water which has been contaminated with fuel for search and rescue operations when other means are hazardous to personnel in the water, to surface ships, and to aircraft.

Other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single figure is a longitudinal view in section showing a preferred embodiment of the invention in assembled condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing there is shown two cylindrical containers 10 and 11 of equal size made of waterproof kraft paper. Other waterproof, lightweight material, such as polyurethane, is suitable. The aft ends are closed by end-caps 12 which are provided with rupture discs 13. The caps and discs of the presnt embodiment are also made of kraft paper. The other ends of the containers are provided with end caps 14 each of which has an off-center aperture shown generally by 15 for insertion of a black powder ejection charge contained in a kraft paper tube 23 to be described later. Containers 10 and 11 are held in a horizontal position with the end caps 14 in facing position by means of a circular wooden block 16 which is provided with two flat sides to which said ends 14 of said containers 10 and 11 are fitted. Block 16 has a cup-like vertical bore designated generally by numeral 18 extending into said block 16 and a second bore extending horizontally through said block 16 and transversing said vertical bore 18. End caps 14 of said containers fit against said horizontal bore as shown and apertures 15 in said caps mate with said horizontal bore openings. Container 10 is substantially filled with a plastic bag '19 in which is sealed an oxyluminescent material shown generally by 20 which glows when exposed to the air. Tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene was used in the present embodiment. Othere peraminoethylenes mixed with compatible carriers which glow when activated by the oxygen of the atmosphere are also suitable for use as the nighttime reference marker material. Container 11 is substantially filled with plastic bag 21 in which is sealed a dye or pigment 22 which when spread on the water is visible by day. Orange and bright yellow dyes have been found to give the best contrast in water. Alizairn orange and alizarin yellow both give good results. The plastic bags 19 and 21 were made of polyethylene film. Any suitable plastic compatible with the dye and/or oxyluminescent compounds can be used. The black powder ejection charge 23a is contained in tube 23 which is closed by end caps 17.

Tube 23 is mounted so as to extend horizontally through connecting block 16 through apertures 15 of caps 14 into each container and 11. A firing mechanism 24 is threaded into the end of vertical bore 18 provided in connecting block 16. The grenade firing mechanism used herein is of the type fairly well described in Patent No. 2,978,716 and is of the type which has been successfully used to actuate a delay fuse in surface flares, smoke and illuminating flares and marine daylight dye markers. The mechanism 24 includes a supporting body 25 which is substantially tubular in shape and externally threaded. Body 25 extends about half way into vertical bore 18 leaving a gas expansion chamber 26. Mechanism 24 is provided with a time fuse 27 well known in the art and having a burning time of about 50 to 90 seconds per foot extending centrally through body 25 into the powder ejection charge tube 23. Fuse 27 is adapted to have a primer cap 29 secured at the upper end thereof and spaced a predetermined distance so that ignition will occur when the primer cap 29 is struck by the striker 34 which is activated by pull ring 30 which is released by the safety cotter pin 31.

In operation when the marker is launched the pull ring 30 is pulled releasing safety cotter pin 31 and the marker is dropped into the water where it floats in a stabilized horizontal position. Release of the cotter pin 31 permits the striker 34 which is under tension of a striker actuating spring 32 to rotate about a hinge pin 33 and impinge on the primer cap 29. The primer 28 then ignites the time fuse 27 which introduces a few seconds delay before igniting the ejection charge in tube 23. The gas expansion chamber 26 prevents the initial expanding gases of the ejection charge from bursting the marker, but exerts pres sure bidirectionally against the plastic bags carrying the payloads which act like pistons exerting pressure against rupture discs 13 in end caps 12 thereby expelling the discs 13 along with the plastic bags and their contents onto the surface of the water. The remainder of the marker sinks.

By means of this marine marker incompatible materials can be used in the same container since they are sealed in separate plastic bags. Also the main purpose is accomplished, i.e., providing two signals on the surface of the water at the same time.

The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A day/night marine location marker comprising:

a first waterproof container having one end closed by an end cap provided with a rupture disc and the other end covered by an end cap provided with an off-center aperture;

a plastic bag having a dye material sealed within and substantially filling said first container;

at second waterproof container having one end closed by an end cap provided with a rupture disc and the other end covered by an end cap provided with an off-center aperture;

a plastic bag having an oxyluminescent material sealed within and substantially filling said second container;

a circular wooden block provided between said two containerS with two fiat outside surfaces equidistant from each other and having a first cup-shaped bore of predetermined size extending into said block and a second bore extending through said block and transversely of said first bore;

said first and second containers being secured to the fiat surfaces of said block and positioned so that the apertures in each of said end caps of said containers are in alignment with said second bore of said block;

a capped tube containing black powder positioned through said second bore in said block having its ends extending into each of said containers and said plastic bags substantially surrounding said ends;

a firing mechanism comprising a body having a bore therethrough and having secured in said bore a delay fuse, a primer positioned atop said fuse, and a striker member positioned in striking relation to said primer; said mechanism being threaded into the top of said block between said containers so that said delay fuse will extend through said first bore of said block and into said tube; and

a gas expansion chamber in said wooden block having its walls formed by the end caps of said containers, its base by said tube and its top by the bottom of said firing mechanism body; said primer being adapted to be ignited upon actuation of said striker thereby initiating said fuse which in turn ignites said black powder in said tube causing expanding gas initially to fill said chamber before exerting pressure bidirectionally against said plastic bags which acting like pistons push against said discs thereby expelling said discs and bursting said plastic bags spreading their contents upon the surface of the water.

2. The marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second containers and said end caps and disc therefor are composed of waterproof kraft paper.

3. The marker in accordance .with claim 2 wherein the plastic bag of said first container is substantially filled with alizarin orange dye and the bag of said second container is substantially filled with tetrakis(dimethylamino)- ethylene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,806,231 9/ 1957 Hofmeister 9-9 3,167,050 1/1965 Johnson. 3,253,810 5/1966 Penn 9-9 X 3,263,012 7/ 1966 Nadler et al. 3,380,383 4/ 1968 Schneppe.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner DANIEL M. YASICH, Assistant Examiner 

